


Long Live.

by momopichu



Series: One shot, One world [7]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, M/M, optional happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-27
Updated: 2016-10-27
Packaged: 2018-08-27 10:16:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8397718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/momopichu/pseuds/momopichu
Summary: Gabriel revisits the the remains of the Swiss Headquarters and imagine his surprise when he finds an old Soldier sitting atop the grave of his best friend.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Alternate Universe stuff. Honestly, this is just an excuse to write angst.

Gabriel carefully waded his way through the remains of the Swiss Headquarters. It had been six years since the place had gone up in smoke. Six long years since the death of Jack. Six long years of blood and grit as he sought to bring down Talon and avenge a dead man.

"What are we looking for again?" D.Va asked from beside him, interrupting his train of thought.

She was in a loose baby blue tee with her trademark pink bunny printed on top and a gentle yellow knee-length skirt that fluttered in the wind. Her usual bulky headphones had been swapped out for a sunhat of matching yellow. She had one hand on her hat as she held it in place and another at her side as she held her little holo-phone.

“Anything of value I suppose,” Gabriel said, scratching the back of his beanied head.

“Doesn’t look like there’ll be much to find…” Lucio trailed off from the other side of him. The audio-medic was in a maroon jersey, flashes of neon green sliced across the shirt in a lightning-like pattern. His dreadlocks were pulled back in a ponytail behind his head and his visor is nowhere to be seen, revealing kind hazel eyes.

Nevertheless, the two young heroes split up, threading their way carefully through the ruins to look for anything that might aid their cause. Gabriel hesitated before continuing, picking his own path through the debris. Even after six long years, he could still make out familiar bits and pieces among the shattered remains of the base. Here was William’s favourite mug, a large thing with a printed moustache on the rim, and here was the shitty packet of cigarettes Cameron's’ was always smoking. Gabriel flipped open the packet, there was still a single stick of cigarette in the battered box, he smiled halfheartedly before flipping the box close and putting it back in its place in the ruins. More relics found their way through Gabriel’s hands as he made his way along; a set of keys (now rusted), a tiny teddy bear (singed), a credit card (still whole) - Gabriel raised his eyebrow and read the name off the card. ‘Lee’. Gabriel smirked, so this was where that guy’s credit card got to.

Lucio was probably right, there was nothing left here but Gabriel had wanted to check anyway. Something within him had insisted he do so, persisted even, to the point of haunting his dreams and waking hours. The others chalked it up to nostalgia, he couldn’t blame them, after all - today was the six year anniversary since the old Overwatch blew up in a ball of flame. The media and analysts had claimed the event was an accident, others speculated it had been the result of a fight between Overwatch’s two leaders. Gabriel snorted.

The truth had been far worse.

_The punch across Jack’s face was vicious, throwing the blonde to the floor and making him spit blood. Gabriel struggled, but his hands were pinned behind his back by big bulky cuffs. They weren’t the usual type of cheap steel and chain. No, these were reinforced titanium with a band as wide as his own palm holding his hands together - designed specifically for keeping Enhanced Soldiers in check. He growled deep in his throat but a click to his side warned him that the rifle aimed at his head would not hesitate to put a bullet through his body. Fuming, he shut up._

_Jack was struggling back onto his knees, a difficult task as his hands were also held behind his back by cuffs, furthermore the golden boy had taken a number of hits to the ribs. Blood dribbled freely down his chin as he turned icy blue eyes on their captors in a show of defiance. The next strike lashed across the blonde’s face like a whip, splitting his lip and forcing Jack to fall back onto his back and elbows. The ragged breaths that tore from his lungs were echoing in the small basement they were held in._

_“Fuck it! Leave him alone!” Gabriel snarled. “He’s got nothing to do with this!”_

_His captors turned their black helmeted heads towards him, eyes a glowing red slit in the face pieces fixing him with an unyielding stare. Gabriel fought to keep his composure, even if his hands were wet with sweat, even if he was trembling deep in his gut, even if he was worried out of his mind…_

_“On the contrary,” a deep voice said, thick with static and rumbling deep in his ears. “He has everything to do with this - as do you.”_

_Gabriel inhaled sharply, he was going to give this son of a bitch a piece of his mind when a pained cough interrupted him._

_“It’s fine Gabe,” Jack wheezed, the blonde winced but still manages to sit himself up in a growing pool of his own blood. “I-I can do this all day - best massage I ever had.”_

_He has the gall to grin up at their captors, baring bloody teeth. The butt of a rifle was raised, most likely to hit the cleft between the blonde’s neck and shoulders when their captors’ mysterious leader raised a hand. The rifle was lowered but it did not lower the growing sense of apprehension that was building deep in Gabriel’s gut. He outright jumped when a thickly gloved hand was placed on his shoulder. Jack’s face twisted, reminding him of a snarling wolf as the leader leaned down to speak in Gabriel’s ear._

_"It’s too bad,” the leader was saying “Jack’s offer is a tempting one. But we’ve spent too much time as it is…”_

_The leader pauses, withdrawing his hand slowly, leaving shivers running down Gabriel’s spine._

_“Take the Blackwatch leader. We move to phase two.”_

_“No!” Jack yelled._

_Rough hands grabbed Gabriel, hauling him to his feet. He struggled violently, kicking out. He was rewarded with a pained grunt, but the smug sense of satisfaction was quelled when an electrified baton made contact with his ribs, knocking him to his knees, winded._

Bastards _… He thought._

_Hands circled themselves under his arms once more, all but dragging him from the room._

_“Gabe! Fuck!” Jack’s cries were loud, reverberating in his bones. “Take me dammit! Let him go!”_

_“...Jack” He groaned._

_He fixed his dark brown eyes on the battered blonde, hoping his eyes would convey the full sense of the words he was about to say…_

_“I’ll come back for you. Dammit c_ _ari_ _ñ_ _o. I_ _’ll come back for you - I promise. Wait for me.”_

Except he never did. After his captors had...had done whatever it was with Angie’s experimental tech to him, they had set the base aflame. Gabriel’s newfound powers enabled him to come out mostly unscathed...mostly.

It had taken a long time for him to finally leave the coffin of stone and fire that was Jack’s grave. And yet, six years later - here he was again. His parting words to the blonde floated like phantoms on the wind, no longer biting as they once were back then. But they still hurt.

A glimmer in the dirt caught his eye, he knelt and sifted through the dust, wincing as he cut his finger on the artefact. Bringing it out into the light, he examined the silver foil. A letter opener shaped in the form of a sword, the little thing was still sharp and still shone despite the rust chipping away at its engravings. It was a pretty thing, with a long silver blade, a beautifully shaped hilt with a blue gem fixed into the pommel. Huffing silently, he stuffed the little piece into his hoodie pocket - no point in letting the elements have it.

Gabriel rose, continuing to wend his way through the remnants of the base. Lucio and D.Va were out of sight for the moment, leaving him in blissful peace with his raging thoughts. He was getting close, he could feel it - his stomach was churning, his palms were sweaty. He balled them into fists and looked back, making sure the two youngsters were nowhere to be seen - he didn't want them to see him weak, to see him broken, as he closed in on _his_ grave.

He had expected to see, nothing, really. So it came as quite a shock when he spotted the old man sitting right atop Jack’s makeshift coffin. With hair as white as snow, a crimson visor and mask that covered a scarred face, a well worn blue leather jacket with the red number 76 splashed across his back. A heavy pulse rifle was propped up on a nearby stone as the wizened Soldier inspected his thickly gloved hands. He jerked his head up suddenly, most likely hearing Gabriel’s approach, fixing the other man with a visored look.

“Hey,” He greeted Gabriel, his low voice gravelly in Gabriel’s ears. “You’re looking good.”

“And you still look like shit,” Gabriel commented.

The Soldier chuckled, Gabriel smiled. If it had been anyone else, Gabriel would have been tempted to punch their face in and dragged them off of Jack’s grave. But not the Soldier. Soldier: 76 (as he liked to be known) had proven himself a worthy ally countless times over when Gabriel had gone after Talon as the Reaper. Hell, he would even call the Soldier his _friend_ , a shoulder he had leaned on - even _cried_ on - when vengeance had weighed too heavily on his back.

“So,” Soldier grunted, rising to his feet and dusting off his pants “What brings you here?”

“Could ask you the same thing, _anciano_ ,” Gabriel drawled “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

He wasn’t avoiding the question...not really. He just didn’t want to answer it.

“I’m waiting for someone,” the Soldier said.

Gabriel’s eyebrow shot up as he looked the old Soldier over.

“Well I’ll be, who’s still alive to set a meeting with you?”

“Hardy har har. Very funny, Reaper.” 76 huffed, unamused.

“I don’t go by that name anymore.”

“Right.”

They lapsed into silence, eyes wandering over the tattered landscape that was the remains of the Swiss Headquarters. Gabriel took comfort in the Soldier’s presence beside him, it was a strange feeling, one he couldn’t quite put his finger on. But almost...as if he had found a piece of a puzzle - if only he knew how this significant little piece fit with the rest of the picture.

And then Soldier was leaning down, grabbing his rifle before straightening and slinging the big gun across his back. Gabriel’s eyes followed him as he moved, tracing the outlines of the broad shoulders, the tapered waist, the toned legs, the calloused hands. His dark brown eyes settled on the little lock of hair that stuck out like a miniature antennae on the back of the soldier’s head. Jack had one too he remembered.

“You’re leaving?” Gabriel asked.

“Yeah.” No jabs, no nonsense. Just a statement.

“What about your friend?” He asked.

He watched as Soldier’s visored gaze drifted over the ruins, before settling on the faraway forms of a laughing Lucio and a cheering D.Va. The young duo had found something of amusement in the remnants of the base, Lucio hefted the item above his head like a prize, D.Va raised her little holo-phone to snap a shot. Their distant chatter reached their ears, a comforting music to contrast the bleak setting.

“I think…” Soldier began. “He’s moved on.”

“Doesn’t mean he won’t come.”

Soldier shakes his head slowly. “It’s alright Gabriel, I don’t hold anything against him.”

In the distance, Lucio pitched backwards as he loses his balance. D.Va lunges forward to catch him only to trip on the uneven ground as well. They land in a laughing heap.

“To be honest...I’m glad.”

The Soldier’s relieved finality was like a blow right to his core, Gabriel clutched his suddenly aching chest.

The old Soldier moved to leave, turning his broad back on Gabriel. For a moment he watched, dazed, at the back he had come to recognize. The back that had shared in his vengeance, the back that had supported him, carried him.

“Hey _anciano_.”

The Soldier paused mid-step, turning halfway to look at Gabriel.

And he hesitated. The words tittering on the tip of his tongue and yet, they would not form, would not speak. The Soldier takes his silence in with a small dip of his head, a gesture of goodbye.

And as he leaves, the bobbing blue jacket disappearing amongst the flame torn debris of the ruins, the wind brings to Gabriel words whispered in the hushed voice of a fading man.

“ _..._ Farewell, my King.”


	2. (The Happy Ending)

 

_Gabriel glances sidelong at the smiling blonde beside him. The setting sun set the golden hair ablaze and gave the bright blue eyes an ethereal glow. Jack lounged against the battlement, arms crossed on top of the stone bricks._

_“So, Reyes…” He starts, voice soft in the looming twilight. “It means ‘King’ right?”_

_“Yeah.” He mutters, watching as a flock of birds danced over the horizon._

_“So where's your Kingdom?”_

_“Excuse me?” Gabriel adjusts his poise on the battlements to face the blonde._

_“I mean you're a King right?” Jack points out “You gotta have a kingdom or something, maybe a castle?”_

_Gabriel snorts just a bit hard. “Yeah sure, I have a castle - we’re standing on top of it.”_

_Jack rolled his blue eyes. “Eichenwalde castle belongs to the Crusaders. ‘Sides, it’s a wreck.”_

_He’s not wrong - most of the castle is burning. Broken omnics and bodies litter the cobblestone streets, bullet holes dapple the wood and steel doors, somewhere below the stone fortress, the river runs red and black from blood and oil._

_“What's it to you anyway?” Gabriel asked. “Why the sudden Kings and Kingdom talk?”_

_Jack appraised him with guarded blue eyes. “Promise you won't laugh?”_

_“Promise cariño. Now talk.”_

_“Well...fighting with the Crusaders…” Jack paused, fumbling for the words “With they're shining silver armour and all, its got me thinking…”_

_Gabriel waited, head propped up by an arm on the stone battlement._

_“I wonder what it's like being a knight.”_

_“Pffffft.” The sound escaped Gabriel's pursed lips before he could stop, Jack's head whipped around, cheeks blushing a furious scarlet red and blue eyes sparking. The blonde all but pounced on Gabriel, battering the older man with gloved fists._

_“Hey! You promised not to laugh!”_

_“A knight! A knight!!” Gabriel wheezed, parrying Jack's blows between fits of laughter. “So that's why you were asking if_ I _had a kingdom! Hoping to become a knight in shining armour in my court eh? Hey hey! Watch it!”_

_Jack had all but dragged Gabriel to the floor, pinning the bulkier man between his thighs and pummelling him with well aimed - non fatal - strikes to his chest. The sight only made Gabriel laugh harder, he caught Jack's swinging fists in his own gun calloused hands, pulling the blonde down until they were nose to nose._

_“Come on cariño, it's your own fault for dropping the bomb on me like that.” He tightens his grip on Jack's hands as the blonde tries to take another swing at him. “Woah there! Alright, alright, calm down cariño, I'm not laughing anymore, see?”_

_Jack narrows his eyes suspiciously at Gabriel's wolfish grin but he doesn't get a word in as Gabriel pulls him down to whisper lowly into his ear:_

_“You know, you_ _would make a dazzling knight,” He could feel the blonde tense in his hold, the heat buzzing through their bodies from where Jack was straddling him just right. “All decked out in that pretty armour...on your knees, before the court...before_ me _-”_

_Gabriel breaks off suddenly, wheezing as a punch manages to land on his side. Jack was pulling away, a mischievous smirk gracing his soft lips._

_“In your dreams, my King.”_

Asshole.

Gabriel lurches after the Soldier with all the dignified grace of a drunken man.

“Jack!” He yells, vaulting over a slab of rock, something crunched underneath his boot. He doesn’t stop to check what it was.

“Jack! Fuck! Come back here!” The ground was a mess, it was a struggle to just stay on his feet. Curse the Soldier, where had he gone? “Don’t give me that ‘ _moved on’_ bullshit Jack! I’m not done with you yet and you aren’t done with me either!”

Gabriel’s head whipped from side to side, scouring the ruins for any sign of the Soldier. Nothing.

“Jack! Where the fu-”

He keels over, his foot caught under a particularly stubborn piece of debris. Gloved hands caught his arms from behind, stopping Gabriel from planting nose first into the jagged ground. His breath rasped deep in his throat, each puff of air a muted second as the hands pulled him back onto his feet and turned him to face the Soldier. He glowered at the red visor, the stupid leather jacket that hugged the man before him so well it hid all the might-have-been-obvious signs. And most of all, he glared at the little lock of hair that stood out like an antennae at the back of Jack’s head.

The Soldier doesn’t have to utter a word, if anything, he’s probably already braced himself by the time Gabriel’s fist makes contact with his face - knocking the visored mask off and into the ruins. He doesn’t even flinch when Gabriel balls his hands into the collar of his coat and pulls him flush against his chest - until their noses are brushing. Even though his cheek was quickly growing purple from the punch, even though Gabriel was glaring daggers right into his blue eyeballs, Jack still has the nerve to _smirk_ at him.

“Took you long enough.”

“You little fucker…” Gabriel hissed, breathing hard. “When were you going to tell me?”

Jack shrugged. Gabriel resisted the urge to punch the old Soldier again - his scarred face was marred enough as it is without another bruise coloring it. Still gasping for breath, he fought between knocking the soldier out or pushing him into the floor-

“You stood me up,” Jack whispered.

Gabriel blinked. His own lips twisted into a grimace, but he doesn’t relinquish his grip on Jack’s collar. _That’s right...I promised_ , _and I never came back_ \- until now.

“I’m sorry Jack. _Goddamnit_ I’m so sorry. I thought you were _dead_ for fuck’s sake!”

Jack’s blue eyes were gentle, a soothing stream that doused the burning coals that burnt under Gabriel’s veins, leaving him cool and shivering in their wake. He heard the rifle clatter to the ground from Jack’s fingers, the same gloved hands coming up to hesitantly caress his waist. Gabriel moved into the touch, drowning in the eyes of the man he had believed was dead for the last six long years.

“And I forgive you... _my King_.”

Gabriel chuckled breathlessly at the stupid nickname, shaking his head slightly. A small nudge, and he had the soldier pinned against the remains of a wall. Jack’s hands were travelling, trembling fingers kneading softly into the material of his hoodie. Gabriel leaned in close.

“You know, a knight deserves a homecoming…” He purred, deep voice rumbling in his chest. He could feel Jack tense up against the vibration - still so sensitive, Gabriel mused-

“Mr. Reyes?” A voice piqued from the surrounding ruins. “We heard you yelling - Oh.”

Lucio cut himself off as he caught sight of Gabriel - and the hazel eyes that were quickly turning red. The audio-medic swallowed audibly. D.Va was slightly more composed. Slightly. Her pink bubble gum exploded, splattering her cheeks with their sticky remains as she quite literally popped up beside Lucio and scrutinised the pair hidden away in a dark nook in the remains of a shattered base. She blinked dark brown eyes once, twice - before gripping Lucio in a vice like grip and all but dragging him away - Lucio didn’t protest. The silence that followed was…

_Strange_ , to say the least.

Jack sighed, pushing against Gabriel. “Gabe. Look, if you --”

Gabriel never let him finish, driving Jack flush up against the wall and _taking_. A muffled exclamation escaped the soldier but faded into a moan that thrummed deep within his chest. Hands wandered, Jack was hot under his touch, scarred lips soft against the bruising kisses Gabriel was showering him in. He didn’t want to break, didn’t want to let the man in his arms go but the need for air was soon an ache the both of them could not ignore. They broke apart with haggard gasps, Jack slumped against his chest, hands twisted in Gabriel’s hoodie and holding him in place.

He chuckled.

“Ready to come home, _mi caballero_?”

**Author's Note:**

> For those who need it, I've put the happy ending in Chapter two.  
> Also my spanish is crap. I tried getting the closest I could to what I wanted but even then it may not be right - so leave a comment if it's wrong.


End file.
